The SS R. Walton Moore was a Liberty Ship built in the United States during WWII. She was named after R. Walton Moore, a United States Representative for Virginia and a member of the Virginia Senate. The ship was launched on August 14th, 1944 and was allocated just a few days later, on the 26th of August to Parry Navigation Co. On November 28, 1948, the SS R. Walton Moore was temporarily phased out in the National Defense Reserve Fleet until 1955 when she was withdrawn from the fleet and loaded with grains under the ”Grain Program 1955”. Just two years later, in 1958 she was returned back to the National Defense Reserve Fleet after having the grain unloaded. On February 6, 1961, she was sold for scrapping to Zidell Exploration. Asbestos was a heavily used component at the time, for insulating important parts of the ship due to its heat-resisting and fireproofing qualities. It was used in the external part of the propulsion system for insulation as well as for electrical components, pipes, boilers, condensers, and turbines. Because asbestos fibers are extremely toxic, many former ship workers may now be risking huge health issues.
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